Stop means for looms



Inventor 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. H. TETREAU STOP MEANS FOR LOOMS Filed April2'7, 1945 July 11, 1944.

9: I l m Patented July 11, 1944 STOP MEANS FOR Looms" Floribert H.Tetreau, Uxbridge, Mass.

Application April 27, 1943, Serial No. 484,747

2 Claims. (01. 139-337) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in stops for looms, and more particularly for stopping of aloom in the event any one or more of the usual harness straps breaks.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a stop forlooms which will instantly stop a loom in the event any one of theharness straps breaks, thus obviating the time consuming occupation thatis ordinarily necessary when a loom has been functioning for some timewith a broken strap, the cloth obviously being then defective to theextent that one or more threads must be picked out of the cloth.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a stop of thischaracter which is substantially foolproof and positive acting in allrespects.

Other objects and advantages of the inventions will become apparent tothe reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 presents a portion of a loom showing a harness frame and itsattached straps in conjunction with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing a bank of harness frames, theirstraps and how they are associated with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view showing the switch means.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bridging contactor.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that numeral 5 denotes a loom frame and certain other partsof a loom are shown, principally a bank of loom harness frames 6 whichare supported by upper and lower straps 1-, 8, respectively. Veryfrequently one or more of thees straps on one or more frames 6 breaks,resulting in a defective weave.

In carrying out the present invention, a contact bar 9, such as is foundon some types of looms, is employed with a special type of contactorgenerally referred to by numeral Ill. The contact bar 9 is used on somelooms in conjunction with complementary switch means in various stopmotion activities. This type of bar 9 consists of an elongated conductorelement, or shell, II open at one side, but having inturned side edgeflanges, as at I2, I2, and this is lined with a sheet of insulation I3so as to cover the closed side and also the edge flanges I2. The sideportions of an elongated conductor strip I4 are interfitted with theside edges of said sheet of insulation I3, the longitudinal intermediateportion of the conductor strip I4 being bulged as at a, toward the openside of the shell and exposed therethrough, while a longitudinallyextending rib b is provided on the outside of the closed side of theshell II, the bulge a and rib b being adapted to be engaged by opposedprotuberances, or contacts, I5, I5 on the inner sides of the legs I5, Iaof a bridging member I! which is of U shape and which has an upstandingstem I8 passing through a bracket arm IS.

The upper end of the stem I8 has a nut 2-3 and a coiled compressionspring 2| is interposed between the bracket arm I9 and the nut Zii.

A cable or other lineal element 22 extends from a stud or otheranchoring element 23 on one leg I6, downwardly and under a pulley 24,from where it extends horizontally under the lower straps 8 to connectto a bracket 25 at the distal end of the frame 5.

It can now be seen that the spring 2| is very delicate, just barelystrong enough to maintain the bridging contactor I! in elevated positionas shown in Figure 3.

Should one or more of the harness frame straps I, 8 break, this wouldresult in a slackening of the corresponding lower strap which would fallonto the cable or lineal element 22, causing a slight depressionthereof, just suflicient enough to draw down the bridging member I1 sothat the protuberances or contacts I5, I5 can engage the bulge a, andribs b of the conductor element I I, I4, thus closing a circuit with asuitable electrical stop mechanism (not shown).

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size,and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a loom structure, harness frame provided with harness straps, anelongated flexible element anchored at one end and provided at itsopposite end with stop motion operating means, said elongated flexibleelement being disposed in a position underlying certain of the straps sothat in the event one of the straps breaks, the weight of the strapimposed on the elongated element will effect operation of the stop mechanism, said stop motion operating means comprising a pair of contactelements, a member bridging the contact elements, a spring support forthe bridging member, said elongated flexible element being attached tothe bridging member,

and a conductor element provided with outwardly disposed bulges againstwhich the contacts can engage, said bridging member being of U shape tostraddle the conductor elements.

2. In a loom structure, harness frame provided with harness straps, anelongated flexible element anchored at one end and provided at itsopposite end with stop motion operating means, said elongated flexibleelement being disposed in a position underlying certain of the straps sothat in the event on of the straps breaks the weight of the strapimposed on the elongated element will efiect operation of the stop mechanism, said stop motion operating means comprising a pair of contactelements, a member bridging the contact elements, a spring support forbridging the contact, said elongated flexible element being attached tothe bridging contact, a conductor element provided with outwardlydisposed bulges against which the contact elements can engage, saidbridging member being of U shape to straddle the conductor element, saidspring being barely strong enough to support the bridging member awayfrom the conductor element and weak enough to yield to the weight of asingle harness strap.

FLORIBERT H. TETREAU.

